David Evans: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know

During a press conference, Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler announced the identity of the man who shot and killed two deputies in Abingdon, Maryland. His name was David Brian Evans. (Periscope)

David Brian Evans was was the suspect who shot and killed two Harford County deputies on Wednesday, February 10, Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler announced. Evans had two outstanding warrants in two states and was suspected in another shooting dating back to 1996. The shooting last week started at an Abingdon, Maryland Panera Bread and then continued at a nearby apartment complex. Evans was also killed.

Here’s what you need to know.

1. One of Evan’s Outstanding Warrants Was for Assaulting a Police Officer

This photo is being shared on social media to honor the lives of the two Harford County deputies who died today. (Facebook)

During a press conference, Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler announced that David Brian Evans was the suspect who shot and killed two Harford County deputies on Wednesday. Evans had at least two outstanding warrants in two states. Gahler said that one of those warrants was in Florida for assaulting a police officer, fleeing, and eluding. The second warrant was a Circuit Court civil writ issued by the Circuit Court of Harford County.

According to The Florida Crime Information Center, Evans was wanted for “obstructing the police.” The warrant was issued on October 28, 2015. Evans was described as a white male, 6′ 3″, with hazel eyes and grey/partially grey hair. A photo did not accompany the warrant. The warrant was issued in Orange County, Florida.

2. Evans, Who Appeared “Homeless,” Targeted the Officers Specifically

Gahler said he believed that the first deputy who was shot was specifically targeted, the Baltimore Sun reported. He said Evans, a 67-year-old white male, shot the deputy because he was in a police uniform. “He (was) certainly targeting them,” Gahler said.

The officers arrived at Panera Bread after a call about Evans. Gahler said he wasn’t sure if the call was specifically about Evans and his warrant, or if it was related to disorderly conduct, according to the Baltimore Sun. He later said that he believed the officers were sent to the scene because someone at Panera knew who Evans was, WBAL-TV reported.

Jeremy Evans, David Evans’ estranged son, later told WBAL-TV that it was his mom who called the police and alerted them to Evans’ being at Panera Bread.

A witness at Panera Bread said that Evans looked like he was homeless and she had seen him in there before, the Baltimore Sun reported. Another witness told WBAL-TV that he appeared “a bit sketchy,” but the waitresses said that he was a regular at Panera. She said the waitresses had been trying to question him and get him help because they were worried he was homeless.

3. The First Deputy Was Shot at a Panera Bread and the Second Was Shot Near Parkview Apartments

The first deputy was shot at the Panera Bread in Abindgon, Maryland, at the Boulevard at Box Hill, the Baltimore Sun reported. Jayne Miller of WBAL-TV reported that the deputy was trying to serve Evans with a warrant when shot. Another witness said that the officer tried approaching Evans first, WBAL-TV reported. She said the officer sat near him and said, “How is your day?” Immediately after that, Evans just took out his gun and shot the officer in the head.

Evans then fled the restaurant.

After the Panera Bread shooting, Evans fled to the Parkview Apartments area, Harford County Sheriff’s Office reported. Once there, a second deputy tried to make contact with him and Evans shot that deputy also. After Evans shot the second deputy, other officers who were at the scene opened fire. Evans died at the scene of the second shooting, Harford County Sheriff’s Office reported. No other suspects were involved. The entire shooting at both locations took about 15 minutes, Gahler said.

Larry Hogan, Governor of Maryland, shared his prayers and condolences for the families of the deputies who lost their lives:

The First Lady & I send our prayers to the families & loved ones of the brave deputies who lost their lives today. pic.twitter.com/cR61VvJdHj

4. Evans’ Estranged Son Said His Dad Shot His Mom 20 Years Ago

Evans seemed to be aiming specifically for the cops, according to witnesses. According to his son, this was out of character. Jayne Miller with WBAL-TV got in contact with his estranged son, who said that Evans had never talked poorly about cops around him and never had issues with the police before. However, this wasn’t Evans’ first violent act. His son, Jeremy Evans, told WBAL-TV that his dad shot his mom in a domestic incident nearly 20 years ago in 1996. According to The Baltimore Sun, Jeremy’s mom, Elizabeth Rupp, was shot in the neck on New Year’s Eve, 1996, as she left the house for work. She didn’t see the shooter, but suspected it was Evans. She survived the shooting.

Evans disappeared after the 1996 shooting. Detectives searched for him for months and widened the search to Massachusetts and Georgia, but couldn’t find him, The Baltimore Sun reported. Although they were searching for him, there was never enough evidence to get an arrest warrant.

Evan’s ex-wife was the one who called the police and told them Evans was at Panera Bread, Jeremy said. She had seen David around town and was worried, She was afraid that David was in town to hurt her, Jeremy explained. So she went to Panera first to make sure he was there, and saw that he was sitting in the back of the restaurant, he told WBAL-TV. She called the police and told them all about David’s history and that she was worried he was in town to hurt her.

Jeremy thinks his dad tried to get away because he didn’t want to spend the rest of his life in jail.

“He was a heavy drinker,” Jeremy told WBAL-TV, adding that his dad had serious emotional problems and was a military veteran.

5. The Two Deputies Who Died Had 46 Years of Combined Service

Both deputies died after being taken to separate hospitals for their injuries. One deputy was a 30-year veteran who served in the Court Services Division. The other had served for 16 years and was in the Community Services Division, Gahler shared. He said both deputies were outstanding citizens that he knew very well. One of them started around the same time that Gahler started law enforcement.

The two deputies who were killed have been identified as Senior Deputy Patrick Dailey and Senior Deputy Mark Logsdon, the Harford Sheriff’s office reported. Dailey, the officer killed in Panera Bread after approaching Evans, was the 30-year veteran and a lifelong member of the Joppa Magnolia Volunteer Fire Company. He left behind two children, a girlfriend, and his mother. Dailey had also served in the Marines.

Logsdon was a 16-year veteran who left behind his wife, three children, and his parents. He had previously served in the U.S. Army.

125 Comments

Its difficult to get them to take a complaint seriously especially coming from a woman. Everybody passes the buck..way to laid back and waiting on retirement not realizing there are criminals in Harford County too..this could have been avoided..the ex wife went into the precinct and warned them what more could she have done